1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates portable basketball goal systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for selectively engaging wheels to a surface to transport a portable goal system.
2. Description of Related Art
The game of basketball has become a popular sport in the United States and throughout the world. The number of professional and recreational basketball players has steadily increased through the past several decades. Unfortunately, in previous years, playing basketball has been limited to gymnasiums and outdoor courts, where expensive basketball equipment was available. However, as the popularity of the sport increased even more, the demand for access to basketball courts has increased.
For many players, the desire for basketball playing facilities has led to an increase desire for home basketball goal systems installed near a drive way or other playing surfaces. Home basketball goal systems typically are comprised of a backboard fastened to a wall, such as a garage, or fastened to a large metal pole anchored in the ground.
Unfortunately, installation of these basketball goal systems is difficult and obtrusive. For example, fixing a basketball goal to a wall often involves reinforcing that wall as well as making large holes in the wall to place the supporting fasteners. Often these walls are made of brick or stone which cannot be easily repaired when the basketball goal system is removed. Similarly problematic, a pole mounted basketball system involves digging a large hole adjacent to a playing surface, then filling that hole with cement while maintaining the pole in a vertical orientation.
Because of the amount of work and cost of obtaining a home basketball system, many potential players were unable to obtain easy access to a basketball goal system. Thus, only a selective ambitious few were able to play the sport of basketball at home. However, recent acknowledgment of these problems has produced a new line of freestanding basketball goal systems that are easy to install and relatively inexpensive.
Freestanding and portable goal systems are typically purchased in kit form and can be installed without mounting the system to a wall or into the ground. Instead, the freestanding goal systems are self supporting and can be assembled by a person having minimal mechanical skills. Typically, portable basketball goal systems comprise a base member, a pole, and a goal system. The base member is generally weighted to provide stability and support for the pole and goal system.
In efforts to increase the shipability and portability of the basketball goal systems, fillable ballast systems that receive a large massive water or sand to provide a weighted base were introduced. The water and sand ballast systems allow the base to be inexpensively shipped and easily transported. Furthermore, once the system was assembled at the home, the user could position the basketball goal system to any location in the yard and then fill the ballast system.
Unfortunately, these systems are only portable to the extent that they may be positioned to any location in yard when first assembled. Once the ballast is filled, the portable goal system becomes very difficult to move. Thus, portability within the yard or home playing surface is not as practical. In order for the player to move the goal system once the system is set up, the entire ballast must be emptied and then refilled when moved to the desired location. Such limitations have prevented true portability for home basketball systems.
A highly portable home basketball goal system may have many applications and uses for the everyday basketball player. For example, playing basketball in the morning and evening may often involve the sun hindering the view of the goal during one of the times. Players may desire to position that goal in one location for the morning at another location for the evening. However, players may be unwilling to go to extreme efforts to accomplish this.
Additionally, players may wish to move a basketball goal system to avoid temporary obstacles in the playing surface, such as a wet driveway or a parked car. Other basketball goal systems may need to be moved periodically for service or cleaning of the adjacent areas. For example, a basketball goals system positioned on grass may need to be moved periodically to cut the grass around the system as well as to provide the grass under the base member with sun and water.
Furthermore, some basketball players may not be inclined to have an entire goal system constantly located in their yard. It may be desired for the system to be placed in a garage or other storage area overnight, during poor weather, for the winter, or when entertaining guests. Unfortunately, the chore of breaking down the basketball system and emptying the ballasts to transport the basketball goal system is typically too burdensome for most people. As a result, basketball systems often remain in yards and driveways for months, while not being used.
To provide increased portability for some basketball systems, wheels have been introduced at the edges of a base. These wheels are often fixed to the base member and engage the playing surface when the entire basketball goal system is tilted back and the player balances the long pole during transportation. Unfortunately, these fixed wheel systems are difficult to use and have made little practical change with the portability problem.
Often the ballast of the base member contains 40 to 50 gallons of water or sand. The associated weight makes it very difficult to tilt back the goal system and maneuver the base to the desired location. Furthermore, the use of the pole as a lever arm to tilt the base, creates a high level of stress on the pole and also presents the possibility of the goal system falling and damaging the goal or injuring the player. Because of these and other shortcomings, basketball goal systems providing simple and rapid portability are not presently available.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a portable basketball goal system that may be easily transported with minimal operations by the user. Such a system would be preferably inexpensive and provide simple user controls and adjustments.
The apparatus of the present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available basketball goal systems. Thus, it is an overall objective of the present invention to provide a portable basketball goal system that may be transported with minimal effort by the user.
The portable basketball goal system comprises a pole, a base member, an adjustable wheel assembly, and an adjustment assembly. The pole is configured to support a basketball goal above a playing surface and the base member is configured to support the pole in a generally upward direction. The pole may be any number of cross-sectional shapes and configurations. The adjustable wheel assembly attaches to the base member, such that the wheel assembly can transition between a supported position and an unsupported position. In the supported position the wheel assembly selectively engages the playing surface. In the unsupported position the base member selectively rests on the playing surface.
The adjustable wheel assembly can transition between the supported and unsupported position by an adustment assembly. The adjustable wheel assembly transitions between the positions by the adjustment assembly comprised of a cam pivotally connected to the wheel assembly and an adjustment member to pivot the cam. The cam is configured to raise the base member relative to the axle as the cam pivots. As the base member elevates off of the playing surface the wheels become in supported contact with the playing surface. Once the wheels are in a supported position with the playing surface, the basketball goal system may be moved to various locations on the playing surface or in storage locations.
The cam of the adjustment assembly may pivot on the same axle as the wheels of the adjustable wheel assembly. The adjustment assembly may further comprise a second cam that is coaxial to the first cam. The additional cam or cams may be present to provide more contact area between the cam and the base member. The base member may also have a follower member that the cam contacts as the cam transitions with the base member between the lowered position and the elevated position. The follower may have varying shapes that provide the cam with a contact location to control the motion of the base member.
The cam may also have varying geometries to control the operational characteristics. In one implementation, the cam may have a stop that selectively engages the base member. The stop may prevent the cam from over rotating, such that the adjustment member does not contact the playing surface or the pole. Additionally, the cam may have multiple stable positions that allow the adjustment mechanism to snap to two or more positions. The two positions may correspond to the supported and unsupported positions of the wheel assembly or the elevated and lowered position of the base member.
The adjustable wheel assembly may also comprise a clevis. The clevis may be positioned under the base member, such that the axle of the wheels and the cam is coupled to the clevis. The clevis may be pivotally attached to the base member. The pivotal attachment allows the wheels to turn relative to the base member, allowing the portable basketball system to be steered around the playing surface. Furthermore, the adjustment member may be rigidly attached to the adjustable wheel assembly to control the pivoting of the clevis.
The adjustment member may be a lever having a handle position at one end to provide a gripping location while moving the portable basketball goals system. Alternatively, the adjustment member may be a foot pedal that transitions the adjustable wheel assembly from the unsupported position to the supported position.
The basketball goal system may also comprise a second set of wheels positioned at an opposing end of the base member. The second set of wheels may be fixed relative to the base member. The second set of wheels may further be in partial contact with the playing surface. As the adjustable wheel assembly transitions to the supported position, the elevation of the base member will cause the second set of wheels to also come in contact with the playing surface.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.